NEW DELHI: Despite the tall claims made by the civic authorities and provisions for punitive action against violators, illegal dumping of construction waste in public areas continues in the national capital. Concrete waste has taken over space meant for pedestrian movement at three locations visited by this correspondent. On Marginal Bund Road, near the district magistrate’s office, debris was scattered on the carriageway, near where the Geeta Colony flyover begins, posing a threat to motorists.
Locals say that driving through the stretch after dark is risky as the waste is strewn on a significant portion of the road.
According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, dumping of waste in public areas, except designated sites, is prohibited. There are about 86 such sites provided by the civic authorities, including the Public Works Department (PWD), across the city. “This is being dumped by people living in the locality and has been lying there for a long time. They surreptitiously deposit discarded constructed material here at night. No action has been taken so far,” said Ranjan Kumar, a vendor on the Geeta Colony road.
Officials of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) said that the quantity of waste lying there was huge and could not be cleared overnight. However, the corporation has begun work to clear it. “If any truck is noticed throwing waste illegally, penalties are slapped on the violators. The debris piling up is regularly removed in shifts. It is a time-consuming process,” said YS Mann, spokesperson of EDMC.
A huge amount of construction waste is also accumulated outside Seelampur metro station in northeast Delhi. Recently, the North civic body set up teams to punish the violators. It has deputed officers to keep vigil at night to check the menace.
In south Delhi’s posh Sundar Nagar, the PWD has deposited soil and stones on the pavement along Mathura Road, between Delhi Public School and the Sundar Nagar red light. The debris not just obstructs pedestrians, but also contributes to air pollution. The dust from the debris can inflame the bronchial tubes, which carry air to the lungs, and hydrocarbon vapours from it can harm the human eye, said Dr Kuldeep Kumar of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.